Two arrested in Sircilla for duping woman of ₹62 Lakh via Black Magic
Rajanna Sircilla, August 31 : Police have arrested two men for extorting ₹62 lakh from an ailing woman by promising to cure her chronic health issues through black magic (ksudra poojalu). District SP Mahesh B. Gite detailed the arrests during a press briefing.
The accused—Turupati Shyam Kumar (57), a Hyderabad-based pooja store owner, and Pattem Laxmirajam (60) from Vemulawada—conspired to target vulnerable individuals seeking supernatural cures for long-term illnesses.
The fraud came to light when victim Bandari Latha of Uppal, Hyderabad, visited Shyam Kumar’s shop in January seeking health remedies. He directed her to Laxmirajam, falsely claiming he possessed power to heal her through occult rites. Believing them, Latha paid ₹10 lakh in cash during a meeting in Sircilla, followed by ₹21 lakh at Yadagirigutta, ₹13 lakh in Kashi, and additional bank transfers totaling nearly ₹62 lakh.
When Latha realized she was being cheated and requested a refund, the duo threatened her family with fatal sorcery, forced her onto blank signatures for blackmail, and lured her with promises of hidden treasure on her land.
Following a police complaint under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, authorities raided Laxmirajam’s home in Agraharam. Officers arrested both suspects and recovered ₹30.50 lakh in cash, two mobile phones, and various occult paraphernalia. SP Gite commended the investigative team and urged citizens to seek professional medical care rather than falling prey to superstitions.
Keywords: Rajanna Sircilla Police, Black Magic Fraud, Occult Scam Arrest, SP Mahesh B Gite, Bandari Latha Cheating Case, Vemulawada Sorcery Scam, Money Extortion, Drugs and Magic Remedies Act
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